Pirates Tickets 48% Below Average For Series vs Braves

August 18, 2014

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The Atlanta Braves have recently had a bit of a winning streak, but that hasn’t helped them a lot in the standings. They’re currently six games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East, and now they’re next on the Pirates schedule. The Pirates have an identical 64-60 record as the Braves, and have recently lost five straight, but they’ve been on the best teams in the National League this year, and could easily give the Braves trouble in Pittsburgh where they are 39-24 this season. Pittsburgh Pirates tickets are currently averaging $27.66 for the series, which is down an incredible 48 percent from their season average at PNC Park.

This might come as a bit of a shock to people who have followed his career, but Vance Worley might be the Pirates best pitcher since he joined the rotation. He has a team best 2.32 ERA, and a WAR that would easily be the best on the team if he made a similar amount of starts. His improvement has largely come thanks to a walk rate that is easily the lowest of his career at 4.1 percent, and his ground ball rate of 48.1 percent is his career best. Pirates vs Braves tickets are the most expensive of the series with a $30 average and $5 get-in price.

Early on it didn’t look like Francisco Liriano would be able to replicate the type of performance he had for the Pirates last season, but he is really coming around down the stretch. At this point he has a 3.78 ERA and 3.76 FIP, while easily leading the team with a 25.3 percent strikeout rate. His problem is he also has the worst walk rate by far at 11.1 percent, which is well above league average. The average price of Pirates vs Braves tickets for the game is $26 and the get-in price is $5.

The final start of the series goes to Gerrit Cole for the Pirates. Cole has had a solid season for the Pirates with a 3.78 ERA and 3.75 FIP, numbers almost identical to what Liriano is putting up. Alex Wood for the Braves, who is having a great season so far with a 2.84 ERA and 1.4 WAR in 17 starts, opposes him. Wood also has the best strikeout rate on the Braves, while putting up a respectable walk rate. The game is averaging $27 for the game with a $5 get-in price.